1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to shipping containers, and more particularly to a shipping container having a pallet member having corner posts and a cover slidable engaged therewith for completely enclosing and shipping items stacked and secured on the pallet.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The prior art contains numerous references in the field of shipping containers including Kennard U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,850; Chiswell U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,814; Williams U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,691; Saunders U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,115; Clare U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,385; and Wakeman U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,371.
Kennard U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,850 discloses a collapsible parallelepipedal freight container having a unit top, a unit base, two opposite sides releasably secured at their upper and lower edges to the base and top and each divided horizontally into similar sections secured together by one-way hinges which provide for the sides to be collapsed inwards, and at each end an end wall horizontally divided into two flaps secured b two-way hinges to adjacent end edges of the sides so that the flaps can be out-turned as doors and can be inturned against the sides to permit the container to be collapsed into a compact unit.
Chiswell U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,814 discloses a collapsible shipping container having a base frame supporting a decking panel, which in turn releasably supports elongated corner posts positioned complementary to limited vertically extending peripheral corner walls of the base frame. The base frame includes channels for supporting side panels which abut flange members of the corner posts and which are detachably connected thereto, and which together support in complementary releasable engagement a roof frame having limited downwardly extending walls forming a roof channel. A door panel completes the assembly and is locked from the outside.
Williams U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,691 discloses a container consisting of a plurality of modules interconnected one to another to form a preselected, standard size assembly to permit the movement thereof through existing transportation systems as a unit. Break apart features between the several modules facilitate the handling and loading thereof at times other than during shipment.
Saunders U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,115 discloses a multipurpose cargo shipping container having provision for optional individual unit use or plural interlocked use. On the one hand the individual unit may be utilized for carrying relatively high density cargo, while on the other, a pair of interlocked units forming a container may carry low package density cargo.
Clare U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,385 discloses a stackable freight container comprising a rigid bottomless container body and a separate freight-carrier pallet which can be bolted into the open underside of the body by means of shoot-bolts to close the container and form its load-carrying floor. When the closed container is placed on a flat supporting surface the lower edges of the body rest on the surface with the loaded pallet supported clear of the surface by the shoot-bolts, the weight of the loaded pallet then preventing the withdrawal of the shoot-bolts. To open the container it must be lowered on to packing to take the weight of the loaded pallet off the shoot-bolts so that they can be withdrawn.
Wakeman U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,371 discloses a novel reusable, rollable wrap for securing items stacked on a rectangular pallet. The wrap includes a flexible sheet, having ends which are secured together by detachable means, such as a zipper, and a plurality of parallel, stiff, elongate corner support members which are secured to the sheet at spaced-apart intervals therealong between the ends of the sheet.
From the foregoing, it should be recognized that a need has long existed for shipping containers which facilitate cargo handling, are practical and adaptable for utilization with different types of cargo, are sturdy in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and still maintain simplicity in design.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular, by a shipping container which has a pallet member and an inverted box-like cover movably received thereon. The pallet has a metal base formed of channel and a floor panel secured to the base. Corner posts of square metal tubing secured at the corners of the base extend vertically upwardly therefrom. Tie-down brackets slidably mounted in the floor panel receive straps to secure items stacked on the pallet floor panel. Each corner of the cover is provided with a vertical recess to slidably receive the pallet corner posts. Cover holding members at the upper end of the corner posts pivot outwardly to releasably engage the cover in its raised position. Slots in the pallet base and in the cover facilitate lifting the pallet and/or the cover by forklift or other lifting devices.
The cover is raised to a position above the floor panel of the pallet and the cover holding members at the upper ends of the posts are rotated to engage the cover member such that the cover is supported on the posts above the floor panel. The cover could also be completely removed from the pallet. In the cover raised or removed position, items to be shipped can be stacked on the pallet and tied down by straps passed over the top of the stacked items. After the stacked items are secured, the cover holding members are disengaged from the cover and the cover is lowered onto the pallet base. A horizontal flange extends outwardly from the open bottom of the cover and is received on the base channel of the pallet when the cover is lowered. Locking brackets on the base channel are received in slots in the cover flange when it is in the lowered position. A wedge bar is inserted into the locking bracket to lock the cover onto the pallet.